Perimenopause or Anxiety or ???

Hello ladies, reading through all your posts as made me feel so much better about what I'm'm going through. I like Susan now rely on my husband to go with me shopping etc as I still have that fear of going on my own in case i feel faint whilst out and I too had the same experience as Susan whilst in a traffic cue. I had no idea anxiety was linked to menopause until i started researching my symptoms and this just happened out the blue, I've never been a confident person but I've never been so afraid of myself before. I'm not as yet on any medication and hope to try and get through it without but if things get worse then i will reconsider although I'm not looking forward to going to my GP as he's one of those who i think has no idea about menopausal women. The thing I'm struggling with at the moment is being off balance when standing, I went to the bank today to do with work and cued for a while which made me feel i was moving when I was standing still, this then made me feel sick. As this happens to me nearly every week I think i just get nervous before i get in there.

Flops i agree with you why don't our GP's know and understand about us who are going through this horrendous time.

Hope your all ok and getting through the day . take care we will survive xx

Hello to all

I found this forum by accident after another awful evening with symptoms getting worse. I actually don't feel alone now or that I'm going mad!!

I always suffered with quite bad pmt (took prozac quite successfully for over a year) but as my periods have become more irregular (+ lighter) gradually over the past 2 years other symptoms have begun.

I am permanently exhausted , brain fog & memory loss, unable to relax or get off to sleep but recently & very suddenly terrible anxious feelings , constantly worried about health , headaches daily with what I can only describe as a feeling of there is something inside my head. I have had a particularly stressful year and have tried putting theses feelings aside but I feel there is much more behind this as I am usually a lady who is very in tune with my physical & mental health but I simply don't feel right.

Tonight the claustrophobic feelings kept sneaking in, as usual I tried ignoring these feelings by keeping busy which in turn tires you out , I sat down to eat my tea which I was really ready for & looking forward to when I suddenly felt sick & needed to get out ofvthe room & feel air .

I took Prozac very successfully for pmt and gradually came off them over 6 months ago as I worried about becoming dependant , has anyone out there had successful results taking this for any of the symptoms I am having. Other people have suggested the hrt route, however my anxiousnessv& worrying have now made me fearful of side effects.

Please anyone out there any suggestions & personal experiences are greatly needed as I feel that my quality of life is quickly going down hill & I just wan to get back to my old self . Please help ladies x

I suffered exactly as you are for the last 5 years. I tried prozac but for me they made me worse. If they work for you then discuss with your doctor. I have been on hrt (estrogel and progesterone) for 4 weeks and it has helped me enormously with all of my symptoms anxiety, panic, dizziness, nausea, palpitations, headaches etc. etc. I too was pretty scared to take any medication but I wish I'd taken it 3 years ago. Please don't worry! Your symptoms are normal for peri!! See your doctor and get some help...

Hi everyone, I found you all because I was researching my anxiety and how hormones can cause the anxiety. I also have many of the same problems you talk about. Afraid of everything!!! Mine started the day after my 45th birthday in November 2013, when I had a panic attack which the ambulance had to come to my house (never had a panic attack before). My doctor put me on Xanax. I did not want to take it too much because I was afraid of addiction. Doctors like to put a band-aid on things and not help fix the problem. I had a hormone test done and found I have estrogen dominance. Sometimes I feel like my old self again and think I am getting better, but then it starts again. Sick and tired of being so scared of everything. I did learn that my systems get worse a week before my period. The anxiety is out the roof. I started DIMplus which is suppose to help balance hormones. I did read so many women say it helped them with their high estrogen. I just started taking it. Hopefully it helps. I am taking 5-htp which is an amino acid that helps me calm down a little. I will keep you posted about my reviews of these supplements.

I'm so glad I stumbled on here..mine started in September 2013.But I had just been thru a very stressful divorce and thought for sure I was having a heart attack or stroke..My heart would beat really fast and feel very faint.Since then I have had the a lot of the same symptoms as many of you..I also was always a very strong person who never let things bother me and now I don't like leaving house alone and hate driving because I get so lightheaded and feel faint..I'm sensitive to light and always feel like I'm in a fog can't concentrate tired weak andhave trouble sleeping and ringing in my ears or buzzing in my head..I also get that odd feeling in public situations..I have learned to control these feelings to a point but it affects everyday life..my husband and best friend are the only ones that know just how bad things are.I'm just so happy I found you guys and know I'm no alone.

Hi Ladies. I have been suffering for 3 1/2 years but found a wheat free diet stops the nausea, fatigue and joint pain. I also take menapol plus tablets from simply supplements,which steadies the nerves/palpitations and evening primrose oil. Black Cohosh really works for the hot flushes too. I also watch what i eat so that my sugar levels are steady. Read the book called ' I wish I hadn't eaten that', alot of it helped me. I have been 95% wheat free for 2 years now and am much better. Cant wait for it to be over tho, periods still hit n miss. SO glad women are talking about it, I thought I was going mad!! Doctors need to be more informed, I just got prescribed antidepressants-didnt take em. Give the wheat free diet a try, i felt better after just 3 days!

I also listen to classical music in bed before sleeping...there are no words so helps clear my racing mind and I sleep much better...

Carry those homoeopathy drops for panic attacks too, works as placebo if nothing else.

Also I gave up caffeine, which is pretty awful when you go through withdrawal, terrible headaches, but after 2 weeks cold turkey your thro it. Peppermint/herbal tea always now.

hi sandra63, thank you for your valued advice i will definitely try the wheat free diet as nausea is a problem for me and i should be eating something ever three hours as i have low blood sugar. I'v already cut down on caffeine. What are the homoeopathy drops you mention? I agree what you said about doctors mine just dosent want to know and just handed me a print out on HRT which I don't want to take.

Hi

The drops are Rescue Remedy, easily available in any chemist. My dentist gives a few drops to anxious patients so unlike other homoeopathy things the medical profession are on board with these. I had the nausea for about 6 months before the other symptoms kicked off. I didn't actually see a doc then as just felt sick every bedtime, convinced I would vomit in night but never did. Then one day everything came at once, feelings of panic, palpitations, dizzy, retching, uncontrollable fatigue...worst time of my life. Obsessing about death, everything everyone else has said, it took over my life. The 3rd doc I saw did a pregnancy test ( sterilised 11 years ago but he wanted to check as the nausea was the worst ) which got me thinking about hormones. Did some research and self diagnosed as by now I am anti doctors. It was about a year later when I came of the wheat after a very up and down year. I has worked out that certain food made me worse. It is hard at first but SO worth it. Many places do gluten fee stuff so its just a nice fresh sandwich I miss. My sister in law just gone wheat free too. Good luck hope it works for you.

Has anyone else had trouble with taking meds..I've been put on three dif kinds and had side affects that were not fun..but of course all were for anxiety cause my dr doesn't think I'm goin thru menopause yet..

Lol, thats what my doc said, without even testing hormones. No meds for me, everything has side effect. I only take natural stuff, the contraindications sheets in the antidrepressants was enough to scare me to death. Have a look at the reviews on the Simply Supplements website for their Menopol plus tabs, they keep me steady. St Johns Wort suppossed to be good alternative to A Ds too. I have a friend who's been on em for while after having post natal depression. Problem with Ads is you end up on them for years and years, imo.

HI Laurie, I am constantly amazed by the fact that we are all recognising our symptoms as part of or as alead up to the menopause and yet so many of our doctors don't recognize it. I was in my doctors a few weeks ago in floods of tears (she hasn't seen me like that before) and through my tears I'm asking for a blood test re the menopause and as she's checking my weight she says "common signs of the menopause are hot flushes and mood swings , I suppose it could be causing your anxiety" - I feel more informed than she! I wish these forums could be flagged up to the health profession in some way, we are all coming upwith the same problems at the same time of life, hardly coincidental. Sorry, rant over. For me, my symptoms have been alleviated by cutting out sugar (tough, but worth it) and also dairy. I've been gluten free for a while but hopefully can reintroduce it soon. I went to a naturopath and she has helped me loads, I am even seeing new hair growth on my head, my hair has lost it's thickness lately. I have lorazapam for those bad days (last one 11th December), just knowing I have the tablets helps. My doctor suggested ad's which I feel is so sad as I can go for weeks and be ok, I think they want to hand them out like sticking plasters rather than get to the root of the problem. I am waiting for a really good day when I feel strong and will go back and ask to be referred to a menopause clinic. What sort of meds are you on Laurie? xxx